MIAMI — There were four places on Kris Humphries’s body that required ice after the Celtics practiced Monday afternoon at the Miami Heat’s practice court.

There were bags of ice on his back, groin, right knee, and left ankle, a byproduct of the dirty work he does every night in the paint as Humphries has transformed from a bench-riding veteran to a leader-by-example in the starting lineup.

Since becoming a starter, Humphries is averaging 9.7 points and 9.1 rebounds, including an 18-point, 12-rebound outing in Sunday night’s loss to the Magic in Orlando. He has become one of the team’s more valuable players, and is becoming more of a popular presence in the locker room.